Vaishampayana said : When the king expressed his desire to bestow his daughter on that Brahmana, all the assembled kings looked at one another and were filled with wrath.

The kings said : Passing us by and regarding the assembled potentates as straw, this Draupada desires to bestow his daughter, the best of women, on a Brahmana.

Having planted the tree, he cuts it down when it is about to bear fruits. The wretch does not respect us, therefore let us kill him.

He does not deserve our respect or he veneration due to his age. On account of such conduct, we shall kill this wretch who insult kings with their sons.

After inviting all the kings and entertaining them with excellent food, he at last insult them all.

In this assemblage of monarchs which is like a conclave of the celestials, does he not find a single king who is equal to himself?

The Shruti says that the Svaimvara is for the Kshatriyas; the Brahmanas have no claim in a selection of husband (by a Kshatriyas lady).

O kings, if this maiden does not desire to select one of us as her husband, let us throw her into fire and return to our kingdoms.

Though this Brahmana has done this injury to the kings out of his officiousness or avarice, he should not be still killed.

For our kingdoms, lives, wealth, sons and grandsons and whatever other wealth we have (in this world) all exist for the Brahmanas.

Something must be done (however) so that from the fear of disgrace and from the desire of maintaining that which properly belongs to the respective orders, (the impertinent interference of Brahmanas) may not cause other Svaimvaras to end thus.

Having said this, those best of kings, having arms like the spiked iron maces, took up their weapons and rushed upon Drupada to kill him.

Seeing those kings all rushing upon him in anger with bows and arrows, Drupada sought the protection of the Brahmanas from fear.

But those great bowmen, those two sons of Pandu (Bhima and Arjuna), those chastisers of foes, (at once) advanced to oppose those kings rushing towards Drupada like mad elephants.

Thereupon all those kings and princes with their figures cased in leather and their weapons upraised, rushed in anger towards the Kuru princes, Bhima and Arjuna.

Then the powerful Bhima of extraordinary deeds, possessing the strength of thunder, tore up a large tree like an elephant and then desisted in of its all leaves.

Taking that tree, the mighty-armed Bhima, the son of Pritha, the chastiser of all foes, stood, like Yama with his fearful staff, near that best of man Partha (Arjuna.)

Seeing that feat of his brother, the greatly intelligent Jishnu (Arjuna), himself being of inconceivable feats, became very much astonished. Being equal to Indra in achievements, he cast off all his fears; and he stood ready with his bow to receive those assailants.

Seeing the feats of both Jishnu (Arjuna) and his brother, Damodara (Krishna) of superhuman intelligence and in conceivable feats, spoke thus to his brother Halayudha (Balarama) of fearful energy.

O Sankarshana, that hero who has the gait like that of a great lion, who draws the large bow in his hand, which is full four cubits in length, is undoubtedly Arjuna. If I am the son of Vasudeva there is no doubt about it.

That hero, who has suddenly torn up the tree and who has within a moment become ready to drive away the monarchs, is undoubtedly Vrikodara (Bhima). None else in the world could have performed today such after in the field of battle.

O Achyuta, the other youth, having eyes like lotus leaves, who is full four cubits tall, who has the gait of mighty lion, who is humble, fair-complexioned, with prominent and shinning nose, who a moment before has left the arena, is undoubtedly the son of Dharma (Yudhishthira).

The two other youths, each as handsome as Kartikeya, are, I am sure, the son of the twin Ashvinis. I heard that sons of Pandu and Pritha had escaped from the fire of the lac house.

Then Halayudha of the complexion of clouds charged with rains spoke thus to his younger brother in joy, "I am glad to hear that our father's sister Pritha, with the foremost of the Kuru princes (the Pandavas) has escaped (from the lac-house).